


Special Survival Exercise

by AiShi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 104th Training Corps - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character's Name Spelled as Hanji, Clueless Recruits, How Do I Tag, M/M, Other, Special training, Superiors Being Cryptic, Those who joined the survey corps anyway, power abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-03 18:21:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17882882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AiShi/pseuds/AiShi
Summary: “The rules are simple:1.) Don’t get caught.2.) Run.”That was all and well... if Eren and the rest of the new recruits actually knew what they were doing.





	Special Survival Exercise

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, look... I word-vomited. A lot. That happened.

They’ve always thought it was just a rumor.

The Survey Corps was believed to have some Special Survival Exercise that apparently happens “once in a blue moon” as how it was said. When this exercise started, no one knows. Aside maybe from the veterans who would only give some sort of sympathetic smile and a shrug that tells you absolutely nothing.

They said only newbies get to experience it. As some sort of initiation or something.

But after Eren had been hastily accepted as part of the Levi Squad, nothing of the sort seemed to be happening. He thought that was because his was a special case; considering it was Captain Levi, himself, who accepted him into the corps (along with another _titanic_ reason, of course). Whether that was the situation, or the fact that it all really had been just a rumor, only the official arrival of the rest of the accepted graduates would tell.

Eren would just have to wait in anticipation.

So by the time they did, the subject just came up naturally.

“So Eren, do you already know what the Special Survival Exercise is? You’ve been here for a couple of weeks now right?” Connie asked.

“Is it true that the exercise requires you to survive being chased around by a titan without your gear on?” Sasha added with wild eyes.

“I heard that was the reason why Squad Leader Hanji have been capturing some titans alive.” Reiner joined in with an almost solemn look on his features.

“They said the last time it happened, three soldiers were sent to the infirmary bruised and bloody, and have been psychologically disturbed for months.” Ymir added.

“I heard it was five.” Bertolt corrected.

“That’s just sick!” Eren wrinkled his nose in repulsion.

“Yeah, I don’t think the Survey Corps would go as far as to do that just for an exercise. I mean, compared to the other legions, they’re the ones who are in real need of additional body count. _Breathing and able body count_.” Armin reasoned. Thank the walls for Armin.

“So you’ve never had any sort of… initiation?” Krista asked instead.

Eren furrowed his brows more as he stared at the floor in contemplation. Was the exercise really an initiation? But he was already part of the Survey Corps, right? And a part of Levi’s Squad at that!

“No,” Eren sighed. “And the seniors in my squad won’t confirm or deny my questions and were resolute in keeping their mouths shut about it. I’m actually starting to think it was really just a rumor, or maybe that ‘once in a blue moon’ isn’t happening at this time.”

“Or maybe that’s because they figured it’d be a waste to do the exercise on you. They might’ve been certain you won’t survive it and weren’t taking any chances.” Jean offered smugly.

“Mind saying that again, Jean? I couldn’t hear you with all the neighing you’re making.” Eren retorted, glaring all the while.

“Stop it, you guys. We’ve barely been here for 30 minutes and you’re already starting a ruckus. What would our superiors think?” Armin stepped in between the two.

“What’s important is that Eren is safe and unharmed. Whether this exercise is real or not, I intend to keep it that way.” Mikasa spoke up with all the seriousness filling her tone.

“Stop fussing over me, Mikasa. I’m not a child anymore. I can take care of myself.” Eren complained.

“Either way, I guess there would be no harm in being prepared. Whether it is real or just a rumor, at least we should expect that there’s something the Survey Corps would ask us to do one of these days. Maybe, before the expedition starts, at least.” Armin butted in again before further bickering could ensue. Thank the walls for Armin.

 

* * *

 

For days, they’ve kept their guards up. Always wary of the day they will be asked to undergo such “initiation”. But between learning about the long-distance formation to be used in the next expedition, along with a few 3DM Gear trainings now and then, there wasn’t anything they could consider as a “Special Survival Exercise.”

Eren began to wonder if the intense cleaning routines Captain Levi make him do could be considered that. After all, there is a certain dread to feel when the captain isn't satisfied. Your survival instincts just tend to kick in all to appease the said man.

Though eventually, as the day of the expedition drew near, most of them have lowered their guards down, and were completely convinced it had all been just, more or less, a rumor. Even Eren was starting to lose faith.

That is until one night…

He woke up to the sound of Hanji’s voice calling him from outside his room. It was dark, as it always was being in the basement. He barely has a sense of time whenever he was in here, but he could vaguely tell that he barely got a wink of sleep.

“Ms. Hanji? Is something wrong?” He groggily asked as he opened the door.

Hanji was just beaming at him for a moment before answering, “Erwin called for you.”

Eren’s attention instantly perked up. “The commander? Why?”

“You’ll know when you see him.” Hanji grinned, motioning for Eren to follow her.

So he did. Gingerly following Hanji through the corridors, all the while mentally recollecting if there was anything he did wrong or something had horribly happened that would require his titan capabilities.

What he didn’t expect was to see the rest of his former trainee squad already inside the commander’s office, still clad in their respective nightwear. They all looked like they barely had enough sleep, so Eren could only assume it was still in the godly hours of the morning.

“What’s wrong?” Eren didn’t bother hiding the apprehension in his features. His idea of being called here, along with the others, totaled to zero and a hundred at once.

“Eren, come join us.” Erwin stated calmly, gesturing for Eren to come closer with the other people in the room.

“We don’t have much time, so I’m just gonna go ahead and tell you the reason why I’ve called you here.” He started.

“But it’s like 2 in the morning.” Jean mumbled, which didn’t go unnoticed by Erwin’s sharp ears.

“Yes, but if we waste any more time, the exercise might not be able to proceed.”

At the word, everyone immediately tensed up.

“Exercise? Y-you mean… the S-special Survival Exercise?” Sasha stuttered.

“If that’s what you like to call it.” Erwin answered with a charming smile that seemed out of place for someone awake at two in the goddamn morning.

Everyone shared uneasy looks at each other. Reiner and Jean were already furrowing their brows in worry; Connie and Sasha’s eyes were wild, filled with internal panic; Mikasa and Ymir could pass for indifference, if not for the apprehension present in their eyes; Armin was wringing his hands; Krista was chewing her lower lip; and Bertolt was already starting to sweat, despite the cold atmosphere.

“So it is true.” Eren mumbled under his breath.

“Yes, it is. And you’re the few chosen ones for this season. As you may have heard, this event rarely happens due to the level of difficulty it takes to set up the scene. This exercise allows us to gauge your capabilities and responses when faced with a life-threatening situation. Which, as we all know, is vital when dealing with the titans.” Erwin’s sense of hearing may have reached the level of being creepy at this point considering he had heard Eren from his seat. And Eren thought Mike was the only weird one with the extreme senses.

“Now, before we waste any more time and compromise the… Special Survival Exercise,” Erwin trailed off, smirking – to the extreme discomfort of everyone in the room. “I would ask all of you to follow Squad Leader Hanji to finally get things in motion.”

“Excuse me, commander, sir,” Armin started. “What if we refuse to accept the exercise, sir? I mean, it’s not like every one of the recruits is here to take it with us. And it’s not like we are obliged to do so, right?” Everyone shifted their attention to the blond, as if they have just realized it for themselves. Which, they did. Thank the walls for Armin.

Eren could’ve sworn he saw Erwin’s eyes gleam from the low light of the lamps around the room.

“Yes, you are right. You are not obliged to do anything with this exercise if it is against your will. However, there is a reason why you’ve been chosen. And all the consequence would be is just that it would be a shame for us, superiors, to have made the wrong decision in picking. But it’s all up for you to decide. There’s literally nothing in it for you.”

Other than the guilt and pride as a soldier, that is. But that’s better left unsaid.

Erwin was smiling that charming smile once again. He was giving the recruits the illusion of a choice, while subtly waving the flag of being a commander – a force to be reckoned with – in the background.

The recruits could only share a glance around each other before wordlessly following Hanji out the door.

 

* * *

 

“Um, Ms. Hanji, where exactly are we going?” Eren asked hesitantly as Hanji had led them all through the narrow corridors on the far side of the Survey Corps’ old headquarters. Even Eren had barely been in here, save for the one or two times he was tasked to clean some of the rooms on this part of the castle. But he was never this far down, and out of fear of unintentionally defying Captain Levi, he never really explored much on his own.

“You’ll see when you get there.” Hanji chimed.

“What exactly is this exercise are we doing? Why aren’t we allowed to at least dress up properly or take necessary precautions?” Jean added in the same hesitant tone.

"As you know, we barely have any knowledge about the titans as we do now. This exercise represents that lack of knowledge and would focus on humanity's ways to cope up with the disadvantage. Basically, it represents one of what the Survey Corps had always been fighting for: The need to learn more and survive while doing so."

They could only acquiesce at the fact that it made sense.

“Are we really going to face a titan without our gears?” Sasha asked frantically.

“Aren’t titans inactive at night, though?” Reiner butted in.

“What you’ll be facing is something worse than a titan.” Hanji answered cryptically. “I’ll advice you to keep your voices down though, if you don’t want the exercise to start ahead of time.” She added in a stage whisper and a manic grin.

Well, if that wasn’t creepy.

Before they could ask more questions, they were slowed to a stop in front of a door at the near end of the corridor. There was nothing that indicates it was anything special compared to the others found in the same corridor.

“We’re here.” Hanji announced, voice barely above a whisper. “The rules are simple: 1.) Don’t get caught. 2.) Run.”

Everyone was visibly swallowing by those words, their eyes wide and frantic. And though there are necessary questions to be asked, no one seemed to know how to word it at that moment.

And then, Hanji produced a pair of metallic plates – which closely resemble to cymbals – seemingly out of thin air.

“Eren, would you do the honors?” Hanji handed the plates, which Eren absently accepted. She started to nudge Eren right in front of the door. “When I give the signal, I want you to slam these plates together and all of you yell ‘wake up’ at the top of your lungs.”

Eren’s heart was beating wildly in his chest by this point. And he was sure everyone was feeling the same way. They had no idea what to expect from this, or if they would even manage to live after all the cryptic instructions they’ve been given.

A brief thought passed through Eren’s mind. He remembered seeing some soldiers, led by Hanji, heave a particularly heavy-looking trunk into the headquarters around sometime this week. He didn’t know why his mind chose to flash that at this moment, but if anything, he was willing to bet that must have something to do with this exercise if Hanji is involved with it. Maybe she stuffed some sort of wild animal and trapped it in this room for them to wake up and chase them around the headquarters. If the assumed animal is indeed feral, now that would be survival.

But Eren hadn’t been able to deal much more with his thoughts when Hanji practically hissed, “Now!” and his body automatically jolted to action and he slammed the metallic plates hard even his own ears were trembling from the sound. The chorus of “WAKE UP!!!” surrounding him only made it worse.

There was a beat of silence that seemed to stretch on for hours as they waited for anything to happen. And to their horror, the door slowly – agonizingly slowly – slid open. There wasn’t even the ominous sound of creaking which they have been expecting. And that just made it all the more terrifying.

With wide eyes and hearts threatening to burst out of their ribcages, they turned to Hanji for further instructions.

… only to find her already far beyond the corridor yelling, “RUN!”

Eren instantly dropped the plates with a loud clang and all hell went loose. It was as if that one word was enough to jolt their bodies into action and they began scrambling about without waiting for the door to open fully. Whatever was in there was obviously dangerous and they wouldn’t be foolish enough to wait and see the being they disturbed from its slumber.

If Hanji said it was more dangerous than a titan, then it was fucking more dangerous than a fucking titan.

A scream echoed through the walls, closely followed by another one. Eren craned his neck over his shoulder to see what had happened all the while bolting for his life. But the dimness of the corridor paired with his moving limbs made it impossible to do so. Though he was dead sure those voices were from Reiner and Bertolt. 

“Don’t look back.” Mikasa hissed beside him. “You’ll slow down.”

Eren continued to run and nodded and swallowed audibly and just-what-the-hell-had-they-gotten-themselves-into?!

He thought he heard a whizzing sound pierce through the air, but was distracted when a more high-pitched scream was heard a few more moments next. No doubt from Krista. And to no one’s surprise, they heard Ymir yelling out a single, “Hey!” before hearing her yelp, and that was it.

Heart racing double-time, Eren frantically scanned their surroundings to check just where exactly they were running. He recognized the hall, yet continued dashing and dashing blindly until he stopped in front of the doors leading outside. He stared at it for a moment wondering what to do now.

“Are we… allowed… to go… outside?” Armin heaved beside him with a hand to his chest, having just arrived.

“They didn’t tell us we couldn’t.” Mikasa answered. Even her breathing was coming out short by now.

A couple of minutes had passed and they could hear another scream.

“Sasha!” That was undoubtedly Connie. And within seconds, he was screaming himself.

“Fuck it! It’s too dangerous to stay inside here.” Eren decided and went to push (and pull) open the door.

But it didn’t budge.

He started pounding his fists in a fit of desperation only to be stopped shortly by Mikasa.

“Don’t. If you do that, that thing will know where we are.” She pointed out.

After another beat of tense silence, another scream echoed through the castle. The horse had been caught.

“We should find somewhere to hide.” Armin offered. “We’ve only been given two rules, and one of them is to not get caught. Maybe come daylight, and this exercise will be over.” He reasoned. Thank the walls for Armin.

Except that daylight could still be a few hours away.

A shadowy figure started to step into view. With the lack of lighting, that was all their eyes were able to register. There were three archways in the vicinity leading to three paths in the castle. And that figure just so happens to be in the middle.

They didn’t even spare a chance to look more closely at it. Eren and Armin were already bolting out to opposite sides of the archways.

However, in a fight-or-flight response, Mikasa seemed to have chosen the former. Whether it was her decision to stand her ground, or whether she was frozen in place, only she knows. Eren and Armin were already out of eyeshot to determine which was which.

“You.” Mikasa seethed as the figure took a step closer.

 

* * *

 

It had been eerily silent for another couple of minutes. If Eren strained his ears, he could vaguely make out the sounds of someone struggling. He was currently leaning by the doorway of the boys’ dormitory, trying to catch his breath. He was seriously starting to doubt this exercise was considered even remotely healthy.

But his breath hitched when he heard a grunt that no doubt belonged to Mikasa. If Mikasa had also been caught, he wasn’t foolish enough to believe (as much as he wanted to) he could somehow pull-off a miracle.

But then he wasn’t sure Armin had been caught. He hadn’t heard him scream yet; if he would scream at all. (Which in the end, he figured that, yes, Armin would scream).

What would Armin do?

What is Armin doing now?

By the walls, what would Armin think of doing?

There's no doubt Armin wouldn't fight.

So hide, it is.

He scrambled on the floor to try to get under one of the beds, only to find out he wouldn't fit. He huffed out a breath before assessing other options.

There wasn't much.

He padded towards the only closet in the room – located at one corner beside a single bed, as if that corner was a room of its own – and checked inside. It was cramped. A wide variety of clothing had filled the entire furniture. Some of it aren't even folded neatly, and most were just stacked hastily. Everyone in the room share the same closet, so he shouldn't really be surprised at the state of it.

This is no good. He can't even squeeze himself to a corner even if he tried.

Ice, instead of blood, shot through his veins by the time he heard Armin's scream. It was only a matter of time before that thing finds him. He needed to think. And thinking, he was never really good at. That was Armin's forte. And even he was caught.

Maybe he should just confront whatever was that thing chasing them down. Yes, fighting was his forte.

But so was Mikasa's. And she was also caught as well.

His eyes frantically searched everywhere around the room. He could look for a weapon. But all their gears were deposited in the weapons' room and it'd take much more time than necessary going through everyone's things. He could go out and look for other places to hide. But he was beyond terrified that that thing would catch him wandering down the hallways.

"Fuck it," Eren muttered as his eyes landed above the closet. He could try to climb up and squeeze himself there. The closet was taller than Eren, hell, it could've been taller than Bertolt, so he shouldn't be easily seen. And what more is that the corner is veiled in darkness.

Without dwelling on it too much, he stepped on the single bed beside the closet, jumped, and heaved himself up, almost clawing his way to get to the top. With his arms and legs huddled up together, he curled into a ball and tried to shrink even further, internally pleading that it wasn't as stupid as he felt.

A few agonizing moments passed and all he could hear was his racing heartbeat and irregular breathing. It was quiet. Too quiet. And suddenly, he thought even hearing those screams were considerably better than the deafening silence. No matter how sick that just seemed.

He was gradually convincing himself to calm down and that he was safe when he heard footsteps just outside the doorway of the room. The steps were slow, calculated. It almost sounded similar to the boots they wear for their uniform.

There goes his heart rate.

His breath involuntarily hitched and the footsteps stopped.

He mentally cursed himself as he felt cold sweat gather on his forehead. This was not how he imagined his death would be. Being eaten by a titan suddenly sounded a lot better than being attacked cluelessly by something he doesn't even know what.

Ever so slowly, he tilted his head towards the doorway.

... And he could've sworn his heart stopped when he saw the shadowy figure just standing there.

But as he willed himself to look closer, he could see that the figure was actually a man.

A short one.

In military uniform, minus the jacket.

With complete gear.

And he was carrying ropes with little balls on the ends as weights.

And were those rolls of tape around his wrists?

 _"Captain Levi,"_ was Eren's first thought.

 _"What you'll be facing is something worse than a titan."_ Hanji had said.

Well, no shit this is something worse than a titan. And they've just woken him at the asscrack of dawn.  _And just why the hell does it seem like he was in complete battle mode in the middle of the night?!_

Eren could practically see the murderous expression of his captain despite the darkness.

 _"Nope. Nope. Nope. There's no way I'm ever going to survive this. I'm definitely dead by now. Absolutely dead. One hundred percent dead. And I didn't even have to go berserk in my titan form to do it."_ Eren thought frantically, along with other thoughts like, _"Was this what happened to the three, no, five other recruits that ended in the infirmary? Would he even spare me such mercy knowing I could regenerate on my own?"_ and, _"What more if he saw that one spot on the wall I haven't scrubbed well?"_

His thoughts were interrupted when the captain took one step into the room. And to Eren's horror, he felt _and_ heard his breath hitch again.

He shut his eyes tight and pleaded to whatever higher being was listening to let him wake up and make this all just a dream. He shut them tight in hopes that he wouldn't see his life flash before his very eyes.

He didn't even notice he was already whimpering. Nor did he notice that the footsteps had stopped at the bottom of the closet. Not even the whizzing sound that pierced just slightly lower to his side.

His eyes flew open and he let out a particularly loud yelp when he felt his foot being swiftly dragged down, followed by the rest of his body, and he landed ungracefully (yet thankfully) at the single bed beside the closet.

Now that his eyes were wide open, Eren could swear he just saw his life flash across his eyes when the captain slowly approached him, leaned over, and caged him in place; hovering above him with all the atmosphere of pure danger and threat and _"you're dead"._

"C-c-captain," Eren couldn't help the stutter in his voice even if he tried. "I-i-it's me. I-it's E-Eren." He swallowed hard from the unresponsiveness of the other man. The fact that he couldn't see his expression in the darkness made it even worse. But he doesn't really have to use his imagination that much to take a guess.

"Eren," The captain's voice was so low it was practically a growl.

Eren squeaked out a reply as he felt the captain lean even more closely, his knees now situated on either side of his hips. He leaned in closer until his nose lightly touched the skin on the junction of Eren's neck and shoulder.

"Gotcha," was all the warning he got before Levi bit down hard.

 

* * *

 

Those who were caught in pairs – Reiner and Bertolt, Krista and Ymir, Sasha and Connie – could only look at each other in a mixture of confusion, concern, discomfort, horror, and everything else in between as the sound of Eren's voice continue to bounce off the walls of the castle. With the tapes rendering them speechless, and the ropes restricting the movement of their limbs, they could only communicate with each other through looks. And they all seemed to share the same thought.

_It's going to be a long night._

Jean, who attempted putting up a fight (and was immediately handed down his ass), couldn't even cover his ears even if he wanted to. He would've taken pleasure in hearing Eren scream. But no way in hell does he want to hear Eren screaming in pleasure.

Mikasa, who attempted at a better fight against Levi, was left dangling from one of the low wooden bars lining the ceiling. Despite the abundance of rope around her arms and torso, Levi had felt generous and even included to tie up her legs down to her ankles since she kicked around a lot. So right now, all she could do was flail helplessly in the air.

Armin, who attempted the total opposite from the former two, was tied and locked up inside the closet (filled with cleaning supplies) he was hiding in, with his hands taped on a feather duster that he swung at Levi out of reflex when he surprised him. He was now contemplating whether he could use the duster as an ear plug, or would it be sharp enough to poke a hole in his middle and drag him out of this misery.

_It's going to be a long night, indeed._

 

* * *

 

By the time the sun was peeking out on the horizon, all the parties involved in the Special Survival Exercise have gathered around the mess hall. 8 out of 10 recruits came out with grim expressions; Mikasa more furious than gloomy, and Eren caught between being dazed and dozing off.

The other new recruits and seniors alike would filter in back in a few hours after being sent off to their own "special training" in the middle of the night. It was more like just camping or doing vigil really.

"I see all of you got caught. Seems like we still don't have a survivor this time around either." Hanji's grin was so wide it was difficult to believe she had been up all night. But what's really attention-catching was the spiderweb crack on the right side of her glasses and were those scratch marks all over her face?

How Levi managed to do that was beyond them.

But how Hanji managed to somehow survive Levi was even more baffling.

 _"Yeah, humanity's screwed."_ Armin couldn't help thinking.

And he couldn't help mentally reeling when he realized one of them actually got _screwed_.

"Though what's different this time around is that one of you actually got devoured." Hanji added, to Armin's misfortune. Her grin turned mischievous, which had Mikasa scowling even harder and all the others squirm on their seats as they recalled the noises heard on that silent night not even an hour ago.

"Eren, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Eren perked up at the sound of his name, but didn't seem to follow the conversation, if the dazed look on his face was anything to go by.

"In all the times we've done this, you were the only one who got devoured so far." Erwin joined in. If you turn your attention to him, you'd instantly notice the left side of his brow was slightly shaved. (And it's not that hard to see, considering it's Erwin's eyebrows on the case here. _Erwin's eyebrows_ ).

Forget about Hanji's state. How in the world did Levi manage to do _that_ and get away with it?

Levi scoffed on his seat at the far side of everyone else. Everyone turned their attention to him and saw him calmly sipping a cup of tea like none of these past hours' events actually happened.

"You speak like you've done this a million times, when in reality, this is only the third time you were stupid enough to attempt it again." Levi glared at both the veterans in the room as he set his cup down. "I really shouldn't be bothering catching the little shits at this point and just go directly to hunt you down. You would think you'd learn after the last incident." He almost mumbled the last part as he raised his cup to his lips again.

"What was the last incident?" Sasha hesitantly inquired.

"Levi got his hands on some blades and was chasing the recruits while wielding them around." Hanji answered matter-of-factly.

Like it was no big deal a bunch of recruits were traumatized having Humanity's Strongest chasing them around like the next titans to add to his already unbeatable record.

Well, that just explained the injuries and psychological trauma the recruits have gained. One would wonder if they'd be less scared of the titans now that they knew there was someone more terrifying.

"Which reminds me... why were you wearing your gear? It makes me think you were expecting it this time." Hanji asked with furrowed brows.

Levi took his sweet time answering. "I was. I noticed you sneaking around my room by the time I should be asleep. And I just knew." He shrugged. "The first two times I was genuinely woken up, I've been itching to kill every shithead that dared such idiocy, but always knew I had to start with you two." He looked pointedly at Hanji and Erwin. "The next time this happens, I'm not even gonna bother with the chasing and just make sure to send blades flying in your direction."

"But Leviiii. You're the perfect substitute for a titan survival training. You know, despite the contrasting height diffe---" A teaspoon was sharply thrown her way that she barely dodged.

"Well, you get what I mean. Besides, it's a great way of letting new recruits know never to disturb you in your slumber." Hanji finished with a wide grin, not even flinching under the power of Levi's glare.

"It didn't work for you. You're practically the first to experience it. Yet, here we are." Levi retorted.

"It did work for me. Erwin, too. Why'd you think we send other people to do it instead?"

"No one wakes up people in the middle of the goddamn night just to get chased around, and possibly murdered for stupidity, shitty glasses."

Eren's head had completely sunk on the table in front of him which garnered the attention of everyone in the room. To everyone's (well, maybe not everyone) discomfort, they mostly knew why, and couldn't blame him if he was more exhausted than the rest of them.

He got more _exercise_ than what was intended, after all.

"Anyway, Levi," Erwin cleared his throat. "Is it really appropriate for you to be taking Eren's first in that way? I don't want to go on about the whole superior-subordinate and age gap spiel that you're already aware of, but..." Erwin trailed off.

"Who said it was Eren's first?" Levi asked, a smug smirk plastered on his face.

There was a beat of silence. Jaws dropped and eyes popped. Mikasa stiffened to the point she was barely breathing. And Armin collapsed on the floor.

Whether that was from exhaustion or shock, no one knows.

But everyone deliberately chose to fuss over him instead.

Thank the walls for Armin.

 

* * *

 

(By the time Eren finally remembered to ask Hanji about the trunk that he thought contained to be the "wild beast" that would chase them around, Hanji just laughed and told him it was the "beast's tranquilizers". She didn't hesitate to show him the contents and Eren found himself looking at tons of boxes of black tea, brooms, feather dusters and other cleaning materials, and even a weighted net and some ropes that she said was "for emergency purposes".

Of course, she didn't fail to mention that they could pretty much fit the beast, himself, in the trunk. Then started to wonder if that was another _special training exercise_ they should implement, along with what other ~~bullshit~~  reasons they could come up with to make it sound viable.)

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, the survival challenge is to piss Levi off and run for your life. One could say Hanji and Erwin are indeed veterans, judging by how they were still breathing despite their countless attempts.


End file.
